Demaryius Thomas: Patriots Were a Waste of My Time, Trade Was Insulting

Veteran wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is not looking back at his brief New England Patriots stint with any fondness. The current New York Jet told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News that his time in Foxboro was ultimately a big, fat waste of time and the trust tree's branches extended only one way.

Thomas, who was cut by the Patriots in August, was under the assumption he'd be re-signed. Instead, the Pats took a chance on Antonio Brown, who had successfully acted crazy enough to earn his exit from Oakland. Thomas was then flipped to the Jets eight days later.

"“It was insulting, for sure,” Thomas told the Daily News Wednesday in a candid discussion about his time in Foxborough. “Once I got cut (on August 31), I could have just come here (to the Jets) and not stayed there and re-sign. When they re-signed me, I was thinking that I was good. Two weeks later, I was gone. So, it’s like, ‘Why did I waste my time?’ Because at the end of the day, it was kind of a waste of time for me.”"

"“They took a chance to bring me in and helped me get healthy,” Thomas said. “I always knew I was going to be able to still play . . . and it would have worked out because I was still learning their offense. Josh McDaniels drafted me [in Denver]. So, I felt like I was cool. But even having conversations with him and couple other people, it was like, ‘You’re going to be okay.’ Two weeks later, AB gets cut . . . and then they kicked me [to the curb] and shipped me out like I’m just a rookie.”"

While one feels for Thomas on a human level and his disappointment is understandable, anyone with a tenuous grasp of New England's modus operandi will not be shocked that such behavior took place. Bill Belichick is not known for his soft touch and the organization is all about working the angles even at the expense of the touch-feely personal stuff. The results really speak for themselves.

The piece makes it clear that Thomas isn't angry, he's just disappointed. Like a dad who finds out there was, in fact, drinking at the post-homecoming party at Jake's house. This will be catnip to the anti-Pats crowd, which is nice because everyone should find some enjoyment this season before Tom Brady & Co. hoist yet another trophy in February.